[2-part post combined]
>Since the topic of the flu and ferrets has been brought up, do you
>have or know of any sites with really good info on them. Especially
>what to watch for. -- Erin
Sure can do. Sorry for the delay. I've been arduously working on this
and ... "FOOOOOOOOMP"
[due to technical difficulties, Wolfy is now laid on the floor from
the Sukie Creature dropping one of her famous books of knowledge]
From Sukie:
Be careful of secondary infections since those CAN get serious. When
in doubt get a vet check and even chest x-rays since listening tends
to not be enough often w ferret lungs.
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG2533
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG10826
I'm so happy you asked - Tylenol is extremely toxic to ferrets and
other pet species, and only a small amount will wipe out their liver.
Influenza can be spread to ferrets from their human owners, and back
again to other human members of the household. However, the best
treatment is lots of TLC, good food and water, and if they get really
congested, some itme in a stemy bathroom. I am always hesitant to
prescribe an OTC human medications due to the fact that so many contain
tylenol or other anti-inflammatories that may cause extreme harm.
As long as you can get the food into them, let's stick with that plan.
The flu is no more fatal in ferrets than in humans - it just sticks
around a little longer.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams DVM
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG4053
Ferrets do not get colds. Colds are due to rhinoviruses, which are
species specific virus. Ferrets may get influenza, but not colds.
Ferrets with upper respiratory infections should see a vet prior to
starting on any medication. Benedryl, as you say, is an antihistamine,
and generally has little effect on symptoms of upper respiratory
infection - it is really an anti-allergy medication. Recently on
this list, we all witnessed the death of a ferret from using an
over-the-counter cold medication, based on the errant information that
ferrets get colds. Tonight I have seen another post about a ferret with
a cold, incorrect information that continues to be passed unwittingly,
even on this list.
Flus, or mild upper respiratory infections are not life-threatening in
ferrets. As owners, we tend to want to treat these conditions, because
we feel sorry for the animals, but over-the-counter meds are not
formulated for ferrets, and they contain ingredients that are of no
benefit to ferrets, and may even be hazardous. For this reason, and the
recent reinforcement of the tragic death of a ferret following use of a
human cold product, that I know longer recommend these products for use
in a ferret.
As long as your ferret continues to eat and drink sufficiently, no
medication is generally the best approach, and if the signs appear
significant, then a vet visit is generally in order.
With kindest regards,
Bruce Williams, DVM
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG1425
I must admit I am not familiar with the term "healthy flu bug" in
ferrets. Influenza in ferrets is usually of the respiratory variety,
so I am concerned that what you saw was not a flu at all, but some
other type of gastrointestinal problem that went undiagnosed.
The occasionally loose poops, especially if his weight is good and
he is active and eating are not of great concern, and I doubt that
kaopectate will be of any use in this case. If the frequency of the
loose stools increases, or if any other adverse signs appear, then I
might pursue some diagnostics in this case.
With kindest regards,
Bruce H. Williams, DVM, DACVP
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG5668
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG2056
Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2000 May;3(2):453-64, vi.
Links Ferret respiratory diseases.
Kendrick RE.
Country Club Pet Hospital, Mansfield, Texas, USA.
Ferret behavior often brings them into close contact with potential
respiratory pathogens and traumatic insults. Although respiratory
disease accounts for a small percentage of cases, they are usually
dramatic. Acute and chronic conditions occur, and many lesions are
confined to the upper or lower respiratory tree but may not involve
both. Pathogens such as influenza A account for a large percentage
of upper respiratory infections and often mirror the "flu" season of
humans. Traumatic insults to the head and chest are relatively common
and account for many veterinary visits. Numerous diseases affecting
the upper and lower respiratory systems are discussed, with suggestions
for diagnostics and therapies.
PMID: 11228888 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 2005 Jan;8(1):139-60.
Links Viral diseases of ferrets.
Langlois I. Medecine Zoologique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire
Veterinaire, Faculte de Medecine Veterinaire, Universite de Montreal,
C.P. 5000, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 7C6, Canada.
[log in to unmask]
Distemper and rabies vaccination are highly recommended because of the
almost invariable fatal outcome of these conditions. Vaccination should
constitute an important part of a ferret's preventative medicine
program. With the current and anticipated development and licensing of
new vaccines, practitioners are invited to gain awareness of the latest
vaccine information. Establishment of a practice vaccination protocol
with regards to the site of administration of rabies and distemper
vaccines is paramount to document any future abnormal tissue reactions.
Influenza is the most common zoonotic disease that is seen in ferrets.
Although it generally is benign in most ferrets, veterinarians must
take this condition seriously. The characteristic continuous antigenic
variation of this virus may lead to more virulent strains; the recent
emergence of avian influenza virus outbreaks; and the increased
susceptibility of elderly, young, and immunosuppressed individuals.
PMID: 15585193 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Lab Anim Sci. 1979 Apr;29(2):243-5.Links
Urolithiasis in ferrets (Mustela putorius).
Nguyen HT, Moreland AF, Shields RP.
Urinary calculi was observed frequently in ferrets which were from a
group used for influenza research. They were submitted for necropsy
with various clinical signs. The calculi were composed of magnesium
ammonium phosphate hexahydrate and were found in the pelvis of the
kidney, urinary bladder and urethra. Crystals of undetermined nature
occasionally were observed in the kidneys.
PMID: 459421 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
but see:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/YG7866
because there appears to have likely been something else going on.
Not opening right now, but
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/utils/fref.fcgi?PrId=3051&itool=AbstractPlus-def&uid=903327&db=pubmed&url=http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/cgi=/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=903327>
is supposed to have the full text for
J Antimicrob Chemother. 1977 Sep;3(5):463-72.
The effects of peroral or local aerosol administration of
1-aminoadamantane hydrochloride (amantadine hydrochloride) on influenza
infections of the ferret.
Fenton RJ, Bessell C, Spilling CR, Potter CW.
[Moderator's note: If you have a subscription or are using a library
computer, you may be able to find the article here:
http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/cgi=/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=903327 ]
Oh, and remember that current injected influenza vaccines are killed
virus BUT the nasal vaccine is usually (always?) live, attenuated virus
so a person can be contagious for close contact situations within a
given time after the nasal vaccine.
If it helps:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL3059
Wolfy
[Posted in FML 5800]
|
